초록 ▼

A fuel cell device and method of forming the fuel cell device including a base portion, formed of a singular body, and having a major surface. At least one fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is formed on the major surface of the base portion and includes an electrically conductive hydrophilic mat

A fuel cell device and method of forming the fuel cell device including a base portion, formed of a singular body, and having a major surface. At least one fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is formed on the major surface of the base portion and includes an electrically conductive hydrophilic material for the wicking of reaction water and providing for electrical conduction to a current collector. A fluid supply channel including a mixing chamber is defined in the base portion and communicating with the fuel cell membrane electrode assembly for supplying a fuel-bearing fluid to the membrane electrode assembly. An exhaust channel including a water recovery and recirculation channel is defined in the base portion and communicating with the membrane electrode assembly and the electrically conductive hydrophilic material. The membrane electrode assembly and the cooperating fluid supply channel and cooperating exhaust channel forming a single fuel cell assembly.

대표청구항 ▼

A fuel cell device and method of forming the fuel cell device including a base portion, formed of a singular body, and having a major surface. At least one fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is formed on the major surface of the base portion and includes an electrically conductive hydrophilic mat

A fuel cell device and method of forming the fuel cell device including a base portion, formed of a singular body, and having a major surface. At least one fuel cell membrane electrode assembly is formed on the major surface of the base portion and includes an electrically conductive hydrophilic material for the wicking of reaction water and providing for electrical conduction to a current collector. A fluid supply channel including a mixing chamber is defined in the base portion and communicating with the fuel cell membrane electrode assembly for supplying a fuel-bearing fluid to the membrane electrode assembly. An exhaust channel including a water recovery and recirculation channel is defined in the base portion and communicating with the membrane electrode assembly and the electrically conductive hydrophilic material. The membrane electrode assembly and the cooperating fluid supply channel and cooperating exhaust channel forming a single fuel cell assembly. with absorption or release of heat, wherein said separator is displaced in at least one direction toward said anode electrode plate and said cathode electrode plate as a result of deformation of said filler, so that a fastening force exerted on said respective fuel cell units is increased or decreased. 7. The fuel cell according to claim 6, wherein said chamber communicates with a flow passage space for a cooling medium for cooling said fuel cell units, and said filler which is deformable in accordance with absorption or release of heat is also disposed in said flow passage space for said cooling medium. 8. The fuel cell according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said filler which is deformable in accordance with absorption or release of heat is a shape-memory alloy having a memory effect to make deformation in one direction or two directions. 9. The fuel cell according to claims 6 or 7, wherein said filler has a coil spring-shaped configuration or a coil-shaped configuration. 10. The fuel cell according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said filler is an alloy of nickel and titanium or an alloy of copper, zinc, and aluminum. 11. The fuel cell according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said filler which is deformable in accordance with absorption or release of heat is a shape-memory resin. 12. The fuel cell according to claim 11, wherein said resin is composed of any one of or a combination of polynorbornene resin, polymer alloy containing a major component of polyester, urethane elastomer, and trans-polyisoprene cross-linked resin. 13. A fuel cell comprising a plurality of stacked fuel cell units each including an anode electrode plate and a cathode electrode plate, a separator inserted at a predetermined position, a chamber defined at a side of said separator, and a filler provided in said chamber, said filler being expandable or contractible in accordance with chemical reaction, wherein said separator is displaced in at least one direction toward said anode electrode plate and said cathode electrode plate as a result of expansion or contraction of said filler, so that a fastening force exerted on said respective fuel cell units is increased or decreased. 14. The fuel cell according to claim 13, wherein said filler is composed of a cation exchange resin, an anion exchange resin, or a mixture of cation and anion exchange resins. 15. The fuel cell according to claim 14, wherein said cation exchange resin has any one of backbone structures selected from a styrene system, a methacrylic system, an acrylic system, a polytetraflouroethylene system, and a pyridine system, and any one of functional groups selected from a sulfonic acid group, a carboxylic acid group, an aminophosphoric acid group, a pyridine group, a dithiocarbamic acid group, an iminodiacetic acid group, and an aminocarboxylic acid group, and said anion exchange resin has any one of backbone structures selected from a styrene system, a methacrylic system, an acrylic system, a phenol system, and a polytetraflouroethylene system, and any one of functional groups selected from a quaternary ammonium base, a secondary amine group, a tertiary amine group, and a polyamine group. 16. The fuel cell according to claim 13, wherein said filler is a water-absorptive gel or a water-absorptive resin. 17. The fuel cell according to claim 16, wherein said filler is acrylic acid, vinyl alcohol copolymer, or sodium acrylate polymer. 18. The fuel cell according to claim 13, wherein said filler is a smectite clay mineral or polyamide or a mixture of a smectite clay mineral and polyamide. 19. The fuel cell according to claim 18, wherein said filler is impregnated with any one of an inorganic compound, an organic compound, and an aromatic compound. 20. The fuel cell according to claim 19, wherein said inorganic compound, said organic compound, or said aromatic compound comprises any one of the following compounds or an appropriate combination thereof: inorganic compounds: water, ammonia, carbon dioxide (inclu ding dry ice), argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, neon, radon, xenon, krypton, and oxygen; organic compounds: alcohols: methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol; aldehydes/ketones: acetoaldehyde, acetone, ethyl methyl ketone, and formaldehyde; ethers: ethyl propyl ether, ethyl methyl ether, diethyl ether, dimethyl ether, and diisopropyl ether; saturated hydrocarbons: methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, isopentane, hexane, and isohexane; cyclic compounds: cyclobutane, cyclopropane, cyclohexane, cyclopentane, hexafluorobenzene, and perfluorocyclohexane; esters: methyl formate, ethyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and vinyl acetate; aromatic compound: benzene and toluene. 21. A fuel cell comprising a plurality of stacked fuel cell units each including an anode electrode plate and a cathode electrode plate, a separator is inserted at a predetermined position, a chamber defined at a side of said separator, a first filler provided in said chamber, said first filler being expandable or contractible in accordance with absorption or release of heat, and a second filler provided in said chamber, said second filler being expandable or contractible in accordance with chemical reaction, wherein said separator is displaced in at least one direction toward said anode electrode plate and said cathode electrode plate as a result of said absorption or release of heat effected by said first filler and said chemical reaction effected by said second filler, so that a fastening force exerted on said respective fuel cell units is increased or decreased. 22. The fuel cell according to claim 21, wherein said first filler is a substance having a boiling point at a temperature not higher than an operating temperature of said fuel cell. 23. The fuel cell according to claim 22, wherein said first filler comprises any one of the following compounds or an appropriate combination thereof: inorganic compounds: water, ammonia, carbon dioxide (including dry ice), argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, neon, radon, xenon, krypton, and oxygen; organic compounds: alcohols: methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol; aldehydes/ketones: acetoaldehyde, acetone, ethyl methyl ketone, and formaldehyde; ethers: ethyl propyl ether, ethyl methyl ether, diethyl ether, dimethyl ether, and diisopropyl ether; saturated hydrocarbons: methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, isopentane, hexane, and isohexane; cyclic compounds: cyclobutane, cyclopropane, cyclohexane, cyclopentane, hexafluorobenzene, and perfluorocyclohexane; esters: methyl formate, ethyl formate, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, and vinyl acetate. 24. The fuel cell according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein said second filler is any one of or a mixture of an arbitrary combination of an ion exchange resin, a water-absorptive gel, a water-absorptive resin, a smectite clay mineral, and polyamide. 25. The fuel cell according to claim 24, wherein: said ion exchange resin for constructing said second filler is any one of a cation exchange resin and an anion exchange resin; said cation exchange resin has any one of backbone structures selected from a styrene system, a methacrylic system, an acrylic system, a polytetraflouroethylene system, and a pyridine system, and any one of functional groups selected from a sulfonic acid group, a carboxylic acid group, an aminophosphoric acid group, a pyridine group, a dithiocarbamic acid group, an iminodiacetic acid group, and an aminocarboxylic acid group and said anion exchange resin has any one of backbone structures selected from a styrene system, a methacrylic system, an acrylic system, a phenol system, and a polytetraflouroethylene system, and any one of functional groups selected from a quaternary ammonium base, a secondary amine group, a tertiary amine group, and a polyamine group. 26. A fuel cell comprising a plurality of stacked fuel cell units each including an anode electrode plate and a cathode electrode plate, a separator ins